Wire fabric.



H. RICHARDSON.

WIRE FABRIC.

APPLICATION FILED 050.15. 1913.

Patented Dec 4, 1917;

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1- H. RICHARDSON.

WIRE FABRIC.

APPLICATION FILED 05015, I913.

Patenwfll Dan. 4,1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2n TFF.

WIRE FABRIC.

Application filed December 15, 1913.

To all whom it may concern: 7

Be it known that T, HENRY RICHARDSON, a subject of th King of GreatBritain, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State ofIllinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in WireFabrics, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to wire fabrics, and has reference moreparticularly to wire fabrics of the kind at present extensively used toform the bottoms of beds, couches and like articles of furniture.

One type of bed and couch fabric now largely employed is characterizedstructurally by the presence of parallel longitudinal strands composedof interhooked bent wire units orlinks connected transversely at intervals by wire cross links. The interhooking of the links forming thelongitudinal strands in this type of fabric creates a weakness at thesepoints of connection, owing to the liability of the hooks to pull orstraighten out under tension. This same weakness also inheres in fabricswherein the end portions of the wire forming each link are connectedmerely by interengaging hooks on said ends or by a hook on one endengaging a loop on the other end, since in all such cases there ispresent in the link at or intermediate its ends one or more hooks havinga free or unsecured bent portion 111 the direct line of longitudinalstrain, the strength-of which to' resist tensional strains is far beloWthe breaking point of the wire itself.

The general object of my present invention is to provide a new andimproved link wire fabric structure of a type heretofore originated byme and which is especially characterized by the fact that it employstwo-ply links each formed from, a single piece of wire in eachlongitudinal strand and may be made of a considerably lighter gage ofwire than was theretofore known in fabrics of that character. Thisobject I accomplish by a novel structure of link that entirely obviatesthe presence anywhere in afabric of the type described of unsecured endsof loops or hooks in a line of longitudinal strain. Furthermore, myimproved fabric dispenses with the use of separate cross-linksconnecting adjacent longitudinal strands, and lends itself well to theem ployment of integral cross-arms which serve all the purposes ofseparate cross links and simplify and cheapen the construction.

In the accompanying drawings I have Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented et. a, item.

Serial No- 896,670.

illustrated my invention in several slightly varied forms; and referringthereto- Figur l is a f agme tary top p n View of a wire fabric for bedor couch bottoms embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a per spective viewfrom the upper side of a portion of the same. Fig. 3 is a perspectiveView from the under side of a portion of one of the links or units ofthe fabric. Fig. 4: 1s a perspective view fron the upper side of aslightly varied form of link or unit embodying the invention. Fig, 5 isa iew simi-- lar to Fig. 1 of a lQther variation embodying theinvention. Fig. 6 is a perspective view from the upper side of a portionof the fab-. ric shown in Fig. 5, Fig. 7 is a perspective View from theunder side of a portion of one of the links or units of the fabric ofFigs. 5 and 6. Figs. 8 and 9 are fragmentary top plan views of one endportion of the link or unit, illustrating steps in the formation of thetwo-ply loop at that end.

The novel fabric of my invention, in all of the forms illustrated,includes a plurality of units or links each of which is composed of asingle length of wire that is bent to provide a twoply body member thetwo limbs of which are united at both ends, one of the end portions ofthe wire being extended laterally of the body member to form a cross-armadapted to be flexibly connected to a laterally adjacent link, and theother end portion of the wire being bent to cross and interlock with thesaid Cross-arm substantially at its junction point with the body memberand being thence continued across and anchored to the said body member.The links of each longitudinal strand are flexibly connected end to end,preferably by a simple interlooping of the closed ends of their bodymembers.

Referring first to the form of the inven-. tion illustrated in Figs. 1to 3 inclusive, l0 designates a two-ply body or tension member of thelink, and 11 one of the closed ends of the latter formed by a singleLl-bend or loop of the wire integrally joining the two limbs of the bodymember. 12 designates a two-ply loop forming the other closed end of thelink. One manner in which this loop 12 may be simply and easily formedis illustrated in Figs, 8 and 9', from which it will be seen that thewire is first bent to form a single symmetrical loop or eye 12 attheend, and in the plane, of the two limbs of the body member (Fig. 8).This loop or eye is then bodily thrown upwardly through substantially anangle of 180 so as to he directly across the body or tension member ascomprising two limbs, one limb being integral from the outer end of theloop 12 to the outer end of the loop 11, and the other limb being in twosections, one relatively long section extending from the loop 12 to theinterlock at the cross-arm 13 and the other relatively short sectionextending from the loop 11 to this interlock.

One of the end portions of the wire, which forms in this case anextension of the longer portion of one limb of the body member, is bentat substantially a right-angleto the latter, forming an integralcrossarm 13. The other end portion of the wire, which constitutes anextension of the other or shorter portion of the same limb of the bodymember is likewise bent at substan tially a right angle to the latterand extended directly across the body member, as shown at 14:, and itsextreme terminal portion 15 is securely anchored by being clenched tothe body member (Fig. 3). It will be observed that the two end portions13 and 14.- of the wire cross and interlock with each other at theirsubstantially rectangular junctions with the body member and extend inopposite directions laterally of the latter; On the free end of thecrossarm 13 is formed a loop 16 that interloops with the terminal loop11 of a laterally adjacent link; and the free end of the wire formingthe loop 16 is secured against pulling out under strain by beingextended across and anchored to the cross-arm 13, substantially as shownat 17 The preferred manner in which the links or units are connected upin the fabric is clearly apparent from the drawing; the terminal loops1-1 and 12 of endwise adjacent links being interlooped, and the terminalloop of each cross-arm being carried through the terminal loop 11 of alaterally adjacent link to flexibly connect laterally adjacent strands.In the ease of the longitudinal row of links forming one marginal strand(the upper as shown in Fig. 1) the integral crossarms 13 are, of course,unnecessary and are dispensed with; and in such cases the wire formingsaid arm is cut off a short distance from its junction with the bodymember, and the stub is then bent beneath the latter, as shown at 13.

The described fabric, by reason of the anchoring'of a free end ofthewire of each link to the body member thereof and the avoidanceanywhere in the link of unsecured ends of loops or hook in a line oflongitudinal strain can be made in much lighter wire than has beenheretofore employed in the manufacture of bed and couch fabrics, and yetpossesses a much greater tensional strength than the heavier wirefabrics at present in use. The fabric possesses a high degree offlexibility both lengthwise and crosswise, so that it can be folded orpacked for storage or shipment within a comparln tively small space.

In Fig. 1 I have illustrated a slightly varied form of the structure ofFigs. 1 to 3 inclusive, which consists simply in twisting the terminalloop 11 through a half-turn, thereby producing a crossed-wire terminalloop 11, which engages the terminal loop 12 of an adjacent link in thesame manner as the loop 11.

The fabric shown in Figs. 5, 6 and 7 coin tains the same structuralprinciple in a slightly different form. Here 10 designates the two-plybody member of the link, and 11 and 12 the terminal loops forming theclosed ends of such body member, similar to loops 11 and 12 of Fig. 1.13 designates the end portion of the bent wire that forms the integralcross-arm, said cross-arm in this case constituting a rectangularextension of the shorter portion of one limb of the body member. Theother end portion of the wire, which forms an extension of the longerportion of the same limb of the body member, is, in this construction,looped entirely around the cross-arm 13 from above the latter, formingan eye 18, and extends thence across the body member, as shown :11

14: being clenched to the latter as shown at 15 (Fig. 7). It isobviously immaterial which of the end portions of the wire is used toform the cross-arm.

A very important feature of my fabric consists of the anchoring of thatend por tion of the wire forming the unit which is not used to providethe cross-arm. By anchoring the extremity of this end portion asdescribed, I securely tie together the limbs of the body member againstspreading under transverse strain, and by the same means provide thebody member with a much greater capacity to sustain and resistlongitudinal strain than is the case where any unit is employed havingan unsecured. hook or loop which is subject to the last-mentionedstrain.

I claim- 1. A wire link fabric, the longitudinal strands of whichinclude a plurality of links connected end to end, each of said linksconsisting of a single piece of wire bent to provide a two-ply bodymember, one limb of which body member is formed by crossed andinterlocked portions of the wire, the free tit ieaaenao i end portionsof which wire are thence extended laterally in opposite directions, oneof said free end portions crossing the other limb of the body member andclenching the two limbs together, and the other of said free endportions forming a cross-arm for connection with another link in alaterally adjacent strand. 7 i

2. A wire link fabric, the longitudinal strands of which include aplurality of links interlooped end to end, each of said links consistingof a single piece. of wire bent to provide closed terminal loops and anintermediate two-ply body member, one limb of which body member isformed by crossed and interlocked portions of the wire, the free endportions of which wire are thence extended laterally in oppositedirections, one of said free end portions crossing the other limb of thebody member and clenching the two limbs together, and the other of saidfree end portions forming a cross-arm for connection with another linkin a laterally adjacent strand.

3. A wire link fabric including a plurality of links, each consisting ofa single piece of wire bent to form a two-ply body-member, one limb ofsaid bodymember being formed by crossed and interlocked portions of thewire, and one end portion of the wire being anchored to the body-member,said links being connected end to end to form longitudinal strands, andtransverse connecting members between adjacent strands.

4. A wire link fabric, including a plurality of links, each consistingof a single piece of wire bent to form a two-ply body-member, one limbof said body-member being formed by crossed and interlocked portions ofthe wire, and both limbs of said body-member being tied together by afree end portion of the wire, said links being connected end to end toform longitudinal strands, and transverse connecting members betweenadjacent strands.

5. A wire link fabric including a plurality of links arranged inlongitudinal and trans verse rows, each of said links consisting of asingle length of wire bent to form a two ply body member with closedends, said wire having one of its end portions constituting an angularextension of one part of one limb of said body member and forming across? arm, and having its other end portion constituting an angularextension of the other part of the same limb and extending across bothlimbs of the body member and anchored to the latter, said end portionsof the wire crossing each other at their junctions with the body memberand extending in opposite directions laterally of the latter; the linksof the longitudinal rows being interlooped end to end, and the links ofthe transverse rows each having the terminal portion of its cross-armflexibly connected to a laterally adjacent link of the same transverserow. a

6. A wire link fabric including a plurality of links arranged inlongitudinal and transverse rows, each of said links consisting of asingle length of wire bent to form a twoply body member having closedends one of which is formed as a tJ-bend of the wire joining the twolimbs of said body member and the other of which is formed as a twoplyloop the members of which are integrally joined across and above saidbody member, said length of wire further having one of its end portionsconstituting an extension of one part of one limb of said body memberbent at substantially a rightangle to the latter to form a cross-arm,and having its other end portion constituting an extension of the otherpart of the same limb bent at substantially a right-angle to the latterand extending across both limbs of the body member and anchored to thelatter, said end portions of the wire crossing each other at theirjunctions with the body member and extending in opposite directionslaterally of the latter; the links of the longitudinal rows beingconnected end to end, and the links of the transverse rows beingconnected through their cross-arms.

7. As an article of manufacture, a wire fabric link composed of a singlelength of wire bent to form a two-ply body member with closed ends, saidwire having one of its end portions extending laterally of the bodymember to form a cross-arm, and having its other end portion crossingand interlocking with said first-named end portion at their respectivejunctions with said body member and at its free end anchored to saidbody member.

8. As an article of manufacture, a wire fabric link composed of a singlelength of wire bent to form a two-ply body member with closed ends, saidwire having one of its end portions constituting an angular extension ofone part of one limb of said body member and forming a cross-arm, andhaving its other end portion constituting an angular extension of theother part of the same limb and extending across both limbs of the bodymember and clenched to the latter, said end portions of the wirecrossing each other at their junctions with the body member andextending in opposite directions laterally of the latter.

9. As an article of manufacture, a wire fabric link composed of a singlelength of wire bent to form a two-ply body member having closed ends oneof which is formed as a U-bend of thewire joining the two limbs of saidbody member and the other of which is formed as a two-ply loop the members of which are integrally joined across and above said body member,said length of wire further having one of its end portions constitutingan extension of one part of one limb of said body memberbent atsubstantially a right-angle to the latter to form across-arm, and havingits other end portion constituting an extension of the other part of thesame limb bent at substantially a right-angle to the latter andextending across both limbs of the body member and clenched to thelatter, said end portions of the Wire crossing each other at theirjunctions with the body member and extending in opposite directionslaterally of the latter.

10. As an article of manufacture, a Wire fabric link composed of asingle length of Wire bent to form a two-ply body member having at oneend thereof a two-ply loop the members of which lie side by side inapproximately parallel relation and in contact With each other beneathsaid body mem ber and are integrally joined across and above the latter;

11. As an article of manufacture, a Wire 1,2es,5so

fabric link composed of a single length of Wire bent to form a two-plybody member having at one end thereof a t\v0ply loop the A members ofwhich lie side by side in approximately parallel relation and in contactwith each other beneath said body member and are integrally joinedacross and above the latter, and at the other end thereof a U-bendjoining the limbs of said body member and adapted for interlooping withthe two-ply loop of another link.

12. As an article of manufacture, a wire fabric link having a bodymember and an integral cross-arm and formed from a single length ofWire, one end of said wire being secured to the body member and theother end forming a secured loop on the free end of the cross-arm.

HENRY RICHARDSON.

Witnesses SAMUEL N. POND, EDMUND Gr. INenRsoLL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

